Pimento Cheese
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Have y’all ever had Pimento Cheese? I know. It’s a Southern thing and those of you who live South of me are rolling your eyes. Of course you’ve had pimento cheese.
Those of you who live North of me? Not so much.
I’d like to change that.
I’d like to bring pimento cheese to all of you.
I’d like to slide down your chimney with a bag o’ cheese and smear it all over each of your angelic sleeping faces so that when you wake in the morning you’ll have a delicious treat to enjoy. It’ll be like Christmas morning, but worse because I’ll be covered in gross chimney stuff.
Now, this stuff is really good as a cracker dip. Try it, live it, love it. Then put the crackers away and make yourself lunch. Two slices of bread, some butter, a couple big scoops of pimento cheese, and a hot skillet. The absolute very best grilled cheese you will ever eat in your life, guaranteed.
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SavePimento Cheese Dip
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup cheddar cheese, freshly grated
1 cup Monterey Jack, freshly grated
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 to 3 tablespoons jarred diced pimento
1 teaspoon grated onion (optional, I leave it out for the onion haters)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until creamy and well combined.
Serve as a dip or sandwich filling.
adapted from Paula Deen
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I’m going to make this! Putting on grocery list right now!
Duuuuuuude. I’ve never had pimento cheese (can we have a moment of silence for me?) *crickets*
Okay, but really though, I was deprived as a child. A pimento-cheeseless child, also without a Santa that brought pimento cheese. The world didn’t want me to know of such excellence. And now I’ve seen the light and I want one of those friggin’ grilled cheese sandwiches.
Pimento cheese = one of my favorite things ever. And I’m not even from the south!!
Karly — September 27th, 2012 @ 12:55 pm
@Deborah,
I’m not either. Doesn’t matter. Pimento cheese will bring the Southerners and Yankees together as one.
I cannot even make this b/c I love pimento cheese so much and could suck down the whole batch myself in like…record time. It looks soooo good!
Karly — September 27th, 2012 @ 12:55 pm
@Averie @ Averie Cooks,
So…you’re saying that’s a bad thing?
My husband grew up here in Colorado. We were just discussing pimento cheese this week, and he’d never heard of it, or tried it or anything! I don’t think he can have pimentos, though.
On a similar note… do any of your friends and family make sandwiches with butter on the inside? I mean, bread, butter, meat, butter bread. Any kind- cheese, chicken salad, deli, anything! It’s crazy. He always laughs when we run across that back home.
Melissa — September 26th, 2012 @ 7:58 pm
@Anna, My grandfather always made his sandwiches with butter, no mayo. My granny would put mayo out for us, butter for him. Old Cajun thing I always thought…
Karly — September 27th, 2012 @ 1:01 pm
@Anna,
Sadly, I’m not actually from the South. I live in boring Illinois. So, no. Nobody that I know eats butter on their sandwiches. I think I’ve seen that on tv before though. Seems kinda weird to me.
Mmm cheezy heaven.
Can you believe I have never HAD Pimento Cheese?
I mean, I am totally familiar with it, just never actually ate any. But that shall change soon.
Also, you are like a preggy lady best friend. Cheetos Mac and Cheese, Fried Pickles, Pimento Cheese…will you just move in for the next sevenish weeks? Thanks.
Karly — September 27th, 2012 @ 12:57 pm
@Cookbook Queen,
I don’t want to make your water break or anything, but I’ll bet you could put pimento cheese in Cheetos mac and cheese and then top it with fried pickles. Dream come true?
My parents enjoyed the cheap pre-made pimento cheese from the grocery store. I found the texture disgusting.
My father-in-law changed my whole perspective on pimento cheese! His homemade batch from a family recipe (very similar to yours) left me embarrassed since I greedily devoured his prized concoction (and seriously considered licking the serving dish!).
I love to grab a box of Melba toast, a nice glass of wine and find a hiding place where I can enjoy til my heart’s content!
I am not sure when I had pimento cheese for the first time (I’m originally a northerner) but I love it!! I’ve never made it at home though. This sounds great!
You should try it with poblano peppers…so good!
Karly — September 27th, 2012 @ 1:00 pm
@Mindy,
That sounds fabulous.
Its best served on triskets …. and add little jalapenos/juice + a dash of cheyenne for an added yummy kick. Best cheese to use= Crackle Barrel block cheese (for both flavors). Its slightly more expensive but worth it on taste!
Ok I didn’t think I liked pimento cheese, but I think there is no reason I wouldn’t. I bet my mom bought the processed kind and tried to pass it off and kept buying it til we got sick of it so I have not had it since- she did the same thing with liver cheese. I think I’m tring your version.
Karly — September 27th, 2012 @ 1:00 pm
@Melissa,
I’ve never had the processed kind, but I imagine this would kick it’s butt.
Wow, this looks amazing! I live in NY and have never heard of Pimento cheese.
Karly — September 27th, 2012 @ 12:59 pm
@Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes,
Do it do it do it. So good!
So I have never had good pimento cheese….my mom used to make sandwiches with some store bought kind when I was little and it looked a little like something a cat might do and cover.
BUt you have completely convinced me that I need to smear it all over my face, and then eat a sandwich.
You’re kinda magic.
Karly — September 27th, 2012 @ 12:59 pm
@shelly (cookies and cups),
Um, gross? I’ve never had the store bought kind. Thank goodness.
Yum! It is sad that people up north do not like this. Texas I miss you much!
Karly — September 27th, 2012 @ 12:59 pm
@Noelle (@singerinkitchen),
Oh, I think they’d like it. It’s just not as widespread up here. Kinda like sweet tea.
I absolutely LOVE this recipe for Pimento Cheese! I like to add a thin slice of tomato and a goodly sprinkling of alfalfa sprouts! Yum! Thanks for this great recipe!
Here’s my Alabama version pimento cheese for you. 1/2 American cheese, NOT Velveeta. Kraft Deluxe American or ask the deli dept of your grocery store for American cheese. It’s way too much trouble to unwrap those slices. 1/2 pepper jack cheese, 1 large jar of diced pimentos (drain, reserve juice) per pound of cheese (I usually add an extra jar per batch). Whomp cheese up in food processor, add drained pimentos, a couple of teaspoons of the pimento juice and just enough mayo to tie it together. Less is better when it comes to the mayo. I love it on Townhouse Crackers and with celery sticks. Family members make sandwiches. I make 4 pounds at a time. My son-in-law will drop what ever he is doing to come get his share (it’s a 15 mile drive). I get phone calls asking for an alert when I make the next batch. Don’t throw away the pimento jars. Pack them with pimento cheese to take to work or give away. No need to even wash them first. The little bit that you couldn’t get out of the jar will just add flavor.
To make 1 pound
8 oz American Cheese (NOT Velveeta)
8 oz Pepper Jack Cheese
4 oz jar diced pimentos, discard all but 1 or 2 tsp juice
mayo to taste, start w/2 T
Shred the cheese, stir in pimentos, pimento juice and mayo. Add additional mayo if needed to reach desire consistency. Too much pimento juice will melt the cheese together. If you don’t use any it will take more mayo. If you love pimento like I do, add a 2 oz jar.
This is mildly spicy when first made but gets hotter with age. As the pimento juice and mayo re-hydrate the peppers in the pepper jack cheese it gets hotter.
I hope some of yall try it, I know you’ll love it. If I weren’t so old and arthritic I would market it.
Woah, how did I miss this post? PINNING and PRINTING. Thanks girl!
Remember this from my “little girl helping mommy in the kitchen days”…a fave appetizer even though I am not fond of pimentos on their own. Your recipe link is added as #43 on my Over 101 Hot Dog Toppings article. ?